Reduction In Cataract Surgery Reimbursement Considered ‘Shameful’

The Health Service Executive (HSE) announced a reduction in cataract surgery reimbursement effective from tomorrow for the patients who went to Northern Ireland for the surgery. 

The reimbursement amount for standard eye treatment is now reduced from €2,000 to €1,500. 

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The bus organisers in Cork, which is specially arranged for taking patients to Belfast to get their cataract operated, have slammed it as “shameful”.

The bus organisers have named it ‘cataract express’ which was to leave the premises at 7 am today and was observed to be fully packed with patients who wanted to go for their operation before the reimbursement was taken back tomorrow.  

Thousands of people have waited for years to get dates for their cataract surgery after the launch of this facility in 2017.

The eye doctors and surgeons have stated that cataract surgery is simple but a life-changing procedure. It can be done in only twenty minutes if done correctly.

People waiting for years to get dates for the surgery are also known to be moving towards blindness and surplus suffering.  

After the cataract surgery reimbursements dropped to €1,150 only, there is a possibility that people seeking eye treatments might have to cancel their future trips, especially those who are on pension.

Previously, Cork South West TD, Michael Collins, who is also one of the organisers of ‘cataract express’ told that patients have successfully undergone operations for their cataracts, including Cork, Kerry and other counties.  

Risk of people’s blindness with reduction in cataract surgery reimbursement

Mr Collins narrated, “The bus has been a godsend for them but now some of these pensioners will not be able to afford to get the treatment. It’s no exaggeration to say that these people will go blind as a result. The Government’s decision is nothing short of outrageous”. 

Kerry TDs, Michael Healy-Rae and Danny Haely-Rae arranged the ‘cataract express’ in collaboration with Mr Collins. They said that the whole package costs the patients €3,000 which includes travel, accommodation and the procedure for which they are to leave their county to reach Northern Ireland. 

HSE explained that there was a delay in the announcement of new prices for cataract surgery due to Covid-19. A re-classification of specific procedures regarding cataract procedures was under review which took time in considering the decision.

Despite considering the government’s decision of reimbursement shameful, HSE made sure that no one was “disadvantaged” as it deferred its announcement of the reimbursement changes. Some prices have increased while others have decreased, HSE said.

The reason for deference was also because HSE wanted to communicate the details to the patients so that the application of amendments would not remain a problem. 

The changes are as follows:

• Payments for less complex cataract operations fell from €1,912 to €1,150
• It is equivalent to £766 in Northern Ireland based on National Health Service prices 
• Most common cataract procedures would be charged with a reduction from €1,456 to €1,171

HSE further added that the changes in reimbursements are due to the change in new prices, which is almost a 94 per cent fall in the new payment plan.

However, people are raising another issue: why do people have to travel to Northern Ireland to get their cataract procedures in the first place? Why are such facilities not available in their own counties, they ask.  

A general practitioner based in Killarney reported that more than 30 times his patients cannot receive the convenience of having cataract eye treatment in their county as the facilities are “non-existent”.

The only place they can head to is Cork where there are already long waiting lines of patients that stretch for years. Serious concerns arise for their complicated eye issues that instigate a loss of their eyesight consequently, declaring the cataract surgery reimbursements shameful on HSE’s and government’s part.